Singletrack Forum » Topic: How to help someone addicted to Class A?http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a
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neninja on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a/page/2#post-4833449
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:51:06 +0000neninja4833449@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Thanks everyone. It's really helped clarify things for me.</p>
<p>I'd been debating whether to ask on here but glad I did. Good to hear from so many people who've experienced both sides of this.
</p>gordimhor on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a/page/2#post-4833420
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:36:25 +0000gordimhor4833420@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>I lost a good friend to heroin about 5 years ago. I can only say good luck and try to be there to help when the time comes,
</p>Luminous on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4833258
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:14:46 +0000Luminous4833258@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Not sure if this helps. But I lost two very close family members to drugs.<br />
There was nothing I could do. They just go and do their thing, won't listen to anyone.</p>
<p>I talked to them, I gave them money, I bought them clothes, when they had nothing. I now see that I wasn't equipped to deal with it and I'm still convinced that if a person is intent on pursuing that <em>lifestyle</em>.<br />
Then there's very little you can do to turn them around. In my bitter experience.</p>
<p>Still, they are gone now. One left a young child at the time. We have the pictures, we have the memories. Not all of them are great as you can imagine. Such a waste of life.</p>
<p>So, OP, I hope the people you're concerned about manage, somehow, to get their lives turned around. But don't be hard on yourself. You can't choose or live their lives for them.
</p>yunki on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4833221
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:58:33 +0000yunki4833221@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>He was a decent person but he's never grown up, has an addictive personality and has no backbone.</blockquote></p>
<p>S'funny that.. I was a drug user from the age of maybe 12 or 13, and by 17 I had a serious addiction or two..<br />
I was very lucky and by the age of 22 or 23 I was pretty much clean.. I did go on to use again later in life but as more of a recreational activity..</p>
<p>I didn't grow a backbone until much later though, so I wonder if the drugs can rob you of your self esteem in some way..?<br />
I don't really know what advice to offer though..<br />
If he's been on it for 20 odd years he obviously likes it to some extent.. if my kids hadn't come along there are certain unsavoury aspects of my lifestyle that I would have lovingly kept on..</p>
<p>FWIW, I have generally had to remove myself from a situation or peer group where drugs are the norm if I've been trying to quit..
</p>crankboy on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4833203
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:49:52 +0000crankboy4833203@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Neinga "he is actually my brother" one of the few success stories I know was a lad whose brother basically kicked seven bells out of him then imprisoned him for a fortnight his sister then kept him close . The addiction was not as long term as your brothers though.</p>
<p>Teasel kudos for the wipeout skills and the whole beating addiction thing .
</p>hora on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4833117
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 07:21:23 +0000hora4833117@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>'Bobby' I've not heard that term used for years! My local officer when I was young was known as 'Bobby George'. <img src="http://singletrackworld.com/forum/my-plugins/bbcode-buttons/default/icon_smile.gif" title=":)" class="bb_smilies" alt=""/> </p>
<p>OP you can't help him. Only one person can. Him.
</p>Scapegoat on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4833073
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 03:19:18 +0000Scapegoat4833073@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>I've been angry, sad and pretty much everything in between.</p>
<p>I'm finding it very hard to see a happy ending, they've fallen so far so fast. The priority seems to be ensuring that the rest of the family don't become victims of their need to fund the addiction.</blockquote><br />
This I'm afraid. As others have said, the need is all-consuming, with no conscience or inhibitions. The real danger is that you will be sucked in and lose the love you have for your brother if you try to intervene. Even if you try to remain non-judgemental, the desperation which underlies the need to fuel the habit will not respect you, and you will yourself become a victim. I've seen families trying to help by funding, by paying off debts, even by scoring for their loved ones to keep them away from the dealers. In all those cases the end result has been a kick in the teeth by the addict in return. There is no magic bullet, and nothing you can say will make a shit of difference to your brother's mindset. </p>
<p>I sincerely hope he can find the determination and professional support he needs to kick it, and I sincerely hope that you can find it in yourself to love and forgive your brother. My thoughts are with you.
</p>neninja on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832989
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:42:11 +0000neninja4832989@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>I've been angry, sad and pretty much everything in between.</p>
<p>I'm finding it very hard to see a happy ending, they've fallen so far so fast. The priority seems to be ensuring that the rest of the family don't become victims of their need to fund the addiction.
</p>Woody on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832982
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:31:24 +0000Woody4832982@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>feeble minded people with no will power and addictive personalities are the problem.</blockquote>Very harsh and untrue with the possible exception of the personality part!</p>
<p>It's something I come across fairly regularly (and there are probably a fair few I am not aware of who have overcome the problem) but many are suffering the consequences of abusing their body for years. </p>
<p><strong>All</strong> of them say they got pretty much to rock bottom before they made the decision themselves to kick the habit, with many of them taking several attempts. Advice given above ie. to let them make their own way and don't provide any help other than food or moral support seems to be the only way. </p>
<p>You can only hope for the best and that he pulls around before it's too late.</p>
<p>Good luck
</p>user-removed on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832954
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:13:31 +0000user-removed4832954@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Sorry to hear that. I've occasionally genuinely considered taking some time off and forcibly rehabilitating my friend by driving him to some very remote bothy and hiding the car keys. But even once he'd sweated it out and kicked the physical effects, the deep-rooted dependency would still be there. </p>
<p>That's the hard bit to shift, and they really do have to do it themselves <img src="http://singletrackworld.com/forum/my-plugins/bbcode-buttons/default/icon_sad.gif" title=":-(" class="bb_smilies" alt=""/> </p>
<p> And as you may have guessed, I've been there myself many moons ago and got lucky.
</p>teasel on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832944
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:09:10 +0000teasel4832944@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>That's a shame. It's hard to think objectively when blood's involved.</p>
<p><blockquote>I hope they can wean themselves off it.</blockquote></p>
<p>IME there's no weaning-off crack; it's all or nothing.
</p>neninja on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832934
Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:02:53 +0000neninja4832934@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Vile or sub-human - no definitely not.</p>
<p>A Weak and pathetic liar - yes certainly.</p>
<p>He was a decent person but he's never grown up, has an addictive personality and has no backbone.</p>
<p>He's actually my brother and I'm gutted.
</p>sbob on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832797
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:12:41 +0000sbob4832797@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote> deviant - Member</p>
<p>I come across plenty of drug addicts in my professional capacity, they are vile....almost sub human.</p>
<p>Drugs aren't the problem, I know plenty of people who can use drugs recreationally without any problems</blockquote></p>
<p>You know plenty of people who use heroin or crack recreationally with no problems?<br />
<img src="http://singletrackworld.com/forum/my-plugins/bbcode-buttons/default/icon_smile.gif" title=":-)" class="bb_smilies" alt=""/> </p>user-removed on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832770
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 23:04:04 +0000user-removed4832770@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>deviant - Member<br />
I come across plenty of drug addicts in my professional capacity, they are vile....almost sub human.</blockquote></p>
<p>Crumbs, don't hold back...</p>
<p>As most have said, there's no way of helping truth be told. If they get desperate enough, they'll either sack it off, end up in the nick or die. I know a good few folk who are long term addicts - one is a prominent antiques expert with a family of four kids and a loving wife who enjoys the odd toke.</p>
<p>He has his issues but his family is close and loving and he earns enough to support a decent lifestyle.</p>
<p>Doesn't sound like your friends are in the same boat though - crack will **** you up. It can't be controlled in the same way as smack. I hope they can wean themselves off it.
</p>patriotpro on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832721
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:51:36 +0000patriotpro4832721@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>I know (knew) about 20 people from school who have been addicted to smack an now have jobs, houses, partners and most of the other stuff mentioned at the start and finish of Trainspotting so it can be done, but as said above, it MUST BE THEM that wants to kick their habit...
</p>teasel on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832715
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:50:30 +0000teasel4832715@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote><strong>This entanglement is only possible to untangle from the inside.</strong> Anything that comes into orbit gets drawn in by the intense gravity of the situation. You can't get in to that centre of it, so don't try. You can do nothing and your best option is to do nothing.</blockquote></p>
<p>You've put it so much more eloquently than I could. Best advice IMO but, like a few of my friends, be there when/if they break it, as Maccruiskeen suggests.
</p>sbob on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832694
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:44:01 +0000sbob4832694@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote> neninja - Member</p>
<p>I can't see him ever kicking it while they are together as a couple</blockquote></p>
<p>That may be one of the only angles you have; if you can get them to realise that without getting clean they will destroy themselves individually and as a couple.
</p>mechmonkey on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832667
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:38:01 +0000mechmonkey4832667@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>Leave well alone. </p>
<p>I've been there, not with the same longevity as your friend though and it was a personal experience to come through to the other side. No one could touch me, whilst I was encapsulated in so many layers of this mindset. </p>
<p>This entanglement is only possible to untangle from the inside. Anything that comes into orbit gets drawn in by the intense gravity of the situation. You can't get in to that centre of it, so don't try. You can do nothing and your best option is to do nothing.</p>
<p>I wish the best for your friend. People do come through it. He may well yet.
</p>deviant on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832638
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:32:46 +0000deviant4832638@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p>I come across plenty of drug addicts in my professional capacity, they are vile....almost sub human.</p>
<p>Drugs aren't the problem, I know plenty of people who can use drugs recreationally without any problems....feeble minded people with no will power and addictive personalities are the problem.</p>
<p>Ditch them, your life will be better in the long run....if it wasn't the drugs it would be something else, people like this tend to need a fix of any kind be it gambling, drink, drugs etc.
</p>eskay on "How to help someone addicted to Class A?"http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/how-to-help-someone-addicted-to-class-a#post-4832560
Thu, 28 Mar 2013 22:19:23 +0000eskay4832560@http://singletrackworld.com/forum/<p><blockquote>didn't mean to be flippant up there, i feel for you. a good mate of mine found his brothers body one morning in his kitchen, he'd od'd in the night. he was 17. </blockquote></p>
<p>I know of two similar people who both lost their lives to heroin at 17. Such a sad waste of a life.
</p>